Positive Numbers: Gopher men's hockey (Last Week: -2). This big train keeps on a-rollin'. Swept Michigan St. this past weekend at Mariucci by a combined 14-3. Moreover, the second-ranked Gophers are all but guaranteed to be the #1-ranked team in the country (again) next Week because current #1, St. Cloud St., got swept at Minnesota-Duluth. For those two reasons, not only does this U. squad get the top spot in the WMNSS this screening Week, it gets the highest accolade possible, Positive Numbers. It's be an upset, an embarrassment, and a damn shame if this incredibly talented team didn't reach the Frozen Four in Tampa in April -- at least.
Aside: Yeah, this Gophers club hasn't really accomplished anything besides getting crowds back into 3M Arena, which is nothing to scoff at. But regardless of how this season ends, this is a good team, and they are kicking the ass of teams down on their luck, such as Michigan St. and, two Weeks from now, Wisconsin (even though the Gophs might be in for a tussle because this series is in Madison). You shouldn't take for granted having a decent, competent sports program. You could be a Spartans or Badgers hockey fan ... or, a Golden Gopher men's basketball fan (see below, like at the end).
#0: Gopher women's hockey (Last Week: -1). Yes, I did say last Week this upcoming series vs. the sixth-ranked Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs will be the first stern test this club has gotten in a while. Their sweep of the Bulldogs (by 3-1 and 4-3) proves that this team is not one to be fucked with. However, I built up this team to get the top spot in the survey this Week if they took both Games from Minnesota-Duluth, and I didn't foretell that 1) the male icers would beat the shit out of a men's hockey team from a BcS school and 2) the U. will get the top spot in the rankings because the school ahead of them lost both of their Games. The female icers still rise above negative numbers, but no, I'm afraid that the Gopher men's hockey team will reign supreme. Now, if the third-ranked Gophers are able to sweep Ohio St., the #1-ranked team in the nation, this weekend at Ridder, they'll definitely get Positive Numbers and the top spot in next Week's WMNSS. Probably. Maybe.
#-1: Gopher wrestling (Last Week: -4). Beat Purdue at Maturi Pavilion last Sunday, 20-12. The greater achievement, however, is the U. trouncing #17 Illinois at home yesterday/Saturday afternoon by a score of 24-9. Their last three Wins in the Dual (at 125, 141 and 149 Pounds) were all by Major Decision. The big victory was at 141, where the U.'s Jake Bergeland, ranked 15th in his weight class in the country, MD'd the Fighting Illini's Danny Pucino, ranked ninth in the nation, by a score of 12-2. And both Wins keep Minnesota perfect at home (5-0) and ran their winning streak to four. I'm still skeptical at how they'll do overall, and they host always-mighty Iowa Friday night. But their current run of form is impressive, and worthy of praise.
#-2: Timberwolves (Last Week: -5). On Monday the Wolves lost the back end of their home-and-home versus the Rockets in Houston, another Game against an opponent they should have beaten. But a hot Third Quarter propelled them to a Win over the Pelicans in New Orleans Wednesday, and then they came back to Target Center and defeated Memphis and Sacramento back-to-back on Friday and last/Saturday night. That 3-1 screening Week pushes them up into sixth in a still congested (and only above average) Western Conference, which is a mighty feat considering the massive weak points they still have. Michael Rand of the Star Tribune believes the team has turned a corner. I'd pump the brakes; the Timberwolves defeated the squads with the second- and third-best records in the West, but this is the doldrums of the season, plus the Wolves are at home, plus (and I don't make light of this, but mood does play a part in motivation) The Bastard Vancouver Grizzlies were playing the night bodycam footage of those five ex-Memphis Police Department officers beating Tyre Nichols to death was released, so it's possible that team didn't want to play.
What is getting apparent is that Anthony Edwards is a stud and has the personality and the scoring touch to lead this organization as its face. Karl-Anthony Towns is getting Wally Pip-ed.
The home cooking continues. They are in the middle of a six-Game homestand, which continues in tilts against The Bastard Rochester-by-way-of-Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City-Omaha Kings (again; this is a one-site home-and-home) Monday, Golden State Wednesday, and Orlando Friday.
#-3: Wild (Last Week: -6). Maybe a stanching of the blood for the Wild this Week. Maybe. Lost in Tampa, 4-2, but they then came home and beat both Philadelphia and Buffalo -- even though the former was in Overtime after the Mild coughed up a lead and the latter was won in a Shootout.
As of press time, Minnesota just jumped The Bastard Quebec Nordiques into third in the Central, but since they have better players than the Wild, it'd behoove them to continue winning. Meanwhile, we have become aware of three players that seem to be in varying phases of Head Coach Dean Evason's doghouse: Matt Dumba, Ryan Hartman, and Jordan Greenway. Dumba got benched for, uh, playing dumb, and even though he hasn't been much this season, the team easily lost the two Games he was healthy-scratched. He came back in time for the loss to the Lightning, and Hartman, who also turned the puck over too many times and drew too many Penalties, apparently took his place. Greenway, however, is in the deepest part of the doghouse. He overslept just one time, and now it looks as though the man they call Big Rig (the organization even made videos riffing on his nickname last year), not Dumba, will be the Wild player traded if the Wild trade any player. How things change on a dime.
They're done now for the first half of the season. The NHL All-Star Game is on Saturday (and Kirill Kaprizov is an All-Star for the second straight Year, congratulations to him), and even though teams play Games through Wednesday, the Wild don't start back up until next Monday.
#-4: Gopher men's basketball (Last Week: -9). It's getting excruciating the watch this sorry ballclub. Currently it is mired in a five-Game losing streak after Losses to Michigan, Indiana and Northwestern this past Week. Moral victories are now what this team leans on as markers of improvement, which is sad. They were in the Games against the Wolverines and Hoosiers, but they both wound up as four-Point defeats. Wednesday's Loss at home to Indiana was truly godawful; they were leading for much of the First Half before the Hoosiers chipped away, took the lead late in the First Half, and then held off the inept Goofs the rest of the way. Minnesota appeared to have expended all of their energy just losing to the Hoosiers because early yesterday/Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats -- remember: This is fucking Northwestern -- beat their asses by 20 in Evanston. Yes, I have heard that this team has been plagued by the injury bug. But no matter; this program was supposed to be make strides this season, and not only has that not happened, but they are taking more steps back than they took forward last season. And they didn't take too many steps forward last season. This is not a good look for Ben Johnson.
This screening Week: At Rutgers Wednesday, home to Maryland Saturday.
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